Class (computer programming)

In <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented programming</a>, a class defines the shared aspects of <a href="/facts/Object_(computer_science)/eX99dtAw">objects</a> created from the class. The capabilities of a class differ between <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa">programming languages</a>, but generally the shared aspects consist of state (<a href="/facts/Variable_(computer_science)/VoCKtwml">variables</a>) and behavior (<a href="/facts/Method_(computer_programming)/8kAXxVYs">methods</a>) that are each either associated with a particular object or with all objects of that class.
Object state can differ between each instance of the class whereas the class state is shared by all of them. The object methods include access to the object state (via an implicit or explicit parameter that references the object) whereas class methods do not.
If the language supports <a href="/facts/Inheritance_(object-oriented_programming)/a7R1xv8n">inheritance</a>, a class can be defined based on another class with all of its state and behavior plus additional state and behavior that further specializes the class. The specialized class is a sub-class, and the class it is based on is its superclass.

Class (computer programming) open-in-new

Class (computer programming)